


A Journey I Just Don’t Have a Map For

by Corsets_and_Cardigans



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas Shopping, M/M, OFC is a salesperson and a jerk, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, bucky is an avenger, mild homophobic overtones from OFC, temporary lost child, tony stark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28928064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corsets_and_Cardigans/pseuds/Corsets_and_Cardigans
Summary: “Hey Peter, what about this one? It has all the colors you--Peter?” Bucky whipped around. Peter, who had been standingright therea second ago looking at ties was missing.Bucky ran through the mental rolodex of four letter words he wasn’t allowed to say out loud around Tony’s son as he looked around the displays, dropping low to find all the places a too-smart-for-his-own-good four year old might be hiding. “Peter, come out if you’re hiding,” Bucky raised his voice to carry across the  aisle to the racks of dress shirts. “C’mon Petey, now is not the time for hide and seek.”***Bucky takes Peter out Christmas Shopping and loses sight of him. After finding him with a salesperson and needing to prove he wasn't a Kidnapper, Bucky and Peter have a heart to heart.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Comments: 30
Kudos: 235
Collections: Winteriron Winter Stockings 2020





	A Journey I Just Don’t Have a Map For

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AriaGrill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriaGrill/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [AriaGrill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriaGrill/pseuds/AriaGrill) in the [winteriron_winter_stockings_2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/winteriron_winter_stockings_2020) collection. 



> I combined all the short prompts of:  
> 1)Dad!Bucky  
> 2)Christmas anything.  
> 3)Avenger Bucky
> 
> Enjoy!!

“Hey Peter, what about this one? It has all the colors you--Peter?” Bucky whipped around. Peter, who had been standing _right there_ a second ago looking at ties was missing. 

Bucky ran through the mental rolodex of four letter words he wasn’t allowed to say out loud around Tony’s son as he looked around the displays, dropping low to find all the places a too-smart-for-his-own-good four year old might be hiding. “Peter, come out if you’re hiding,” Bucky raised his voice to carry across the aisle to the racks of dress shirts. “C’mon Petey, now is not the time for hide and seek.” 

Panic crept up the back of his neck, freezing like all those memories Tony worked so hard to erase, as each display and rack turned up empty. Bucky pulled on his training. Not just Hydra’s or the Army’s, but all the years he needed to stay calm when Steve went blue during an asthma attack. _Breath. Focus. Eliminate all other possibilities. Stay calm._ He had to have wandered off or was hiding, Peter knew how to react if someone grabbed him, Bucky helped with that training, how to scream and kick and bite assailants and make a scene. They went over things every time someone took Peter out. 

Bucky eliminated all the displays in menswear by the time he found a salesperson. 

And Peter. 

Bucky let out all the air in his lungs and picked up speed to run over to them. The employee was crouched down to Peter’s level.

“Where’s your Mommy, little guy?” 

“I’m Peter,” 

“Ok Peter, where is your Mommy?” 

“I don’t know, she gave me to Daddy.” 

Bucky could see the shock flash by on her face as he approached, “Ok, is your Daddy here?” 

“He’s with me. I’m so sorry,” Bucky said before turning to Peter. “Petey, you scared me. What’s the rule about going out?” 

Peter’s face fell, “I’m sorry Bucky, but look!” He pointed up at a display of Avengers merch. Bucky’s own face stared back at him from the poster. “Look! It’s Daddy and Uncle Steve and Auntie Tasha and You and Uncle Bruce and--” 

“Peter.” 

The little boy looked down at the ground, “No running off.” 

“Thank you, Pete. Come on, we still need to find your Dad a Christmas present.” 

The sales woman looked at Bucky, a hard squint in her eyes. He knew what she was likely seeing. Stubble, stringy long hair, baseball cap, gloves that someone else would have taken off when they came in from the cold, but were hiding the arm. Someone who would be a kidnapper in some pulp novel he and Steve shared back in the day.

Bucky took in all the details about her in return, a skill from all the years of assessing targets. _Bottle blonde. Left third finger looks like a ring is missing. Recently divorced? Nametag: Jill. Shoes are sensible, clothes off the rack, bought here. Makeup is hours old, lipstick retouched within the past hour._

“So, you’re not his father?” 

“No, but I am his guardian, his father and I are together.” Jill’s face soured even further. _Homophobe,_ Bucky thought. 

“I don’t know if I can turn a lost child over to someone who isn’t a _legal_ guardian. I’ll have to call Security.” 

Bucky pinched his nose, “I _am_ a legal guardian. I’ve been helping to look after him since his mom showed up with a diaper bag and box of breathing treatments and left.” And Bucky would be forever grateful for that day, bringing Peter into their lives and bringing him and Tony together. Treatments changed a lot in 70 years, but taking care of a sick kid was something not even Hydra could shake loose. Taking a screaming six month old out of Tony’s arms at 3 AM was the beginning of many late nights and shared bottles of beer that lead to sharing feelings and kisses. 

Jill looked like she was going to open her mouth to object so Bucky beat her to the punch, “Do you want me to get his dad on the phone?”

At this point, Peter clung to Bucky’s side, tucking himself inside Bucky’s jacket. “Daddy will be mad, don’t call him.” 

Bucky smoothed the back of Peter’s head, dropping a small kiss on his temple, “I don’t want to call Daddy, but I will be telling him later that you ran off on me. But, we might have to call to prove you’re with me.” 

Peter turned to Jill, “He’s my Bucky. Not like Uncle Steve or Auntie Tash. He lives with me and Daddy and makes breakfast and lets me pick out my clothes and puts gel in my hair so sticks up like this.” Peter paused briefly to point to his hair like that was the biggest point he was making in Bucky’s favor. “He’s like Daddy, but I don’t call him Daddy. He and Daddy kiss sometimes. It’s gross.” 

Bucky chuckled, “Thanks Petey-pie. Now, can we go? Or do I really have to call Tony Stark in the middle of his R&D presentation?” 

He really couldn’t see her skin blanche with what was left of her heavy cake makeup, but Jill’s eyes did bug out of their sockets a little at the name drop, “Maybe that isn’t necessary.” With that, she scuttled away like her worn out flats were on fire. 

Bucky picked up Peter and dropped him on his hip, groaning at the fact that soon he will be too big for this. Bucky never saw himself as a parent until a pair of big brown eyes that were just like his dad’s peered up at him one night between bouts of colicky tears, and now he doesn’t want the kid to outgrow him. He walked them back to the menswear section, finding the tie he was going to originally show Peter. 

“How about this one, bud? It’s red and silver, just like what you wanted,” Bucky said. He felt Peter nod against his chest. Bucky tried to set Peter down to stand on his own again, but his little hands grabbed tight to his shirt and jacket, a silent plea to stay in his arms a little longer. 

“Why don’t I get to call you Daddy?” 

Bucky let out a sigh and wished Tony was there to help, “Well, when your Dad and I got together, you were still little. It was so new, we didn’t really think about me being a second parent to you until you were already speaking and calling me ‘Bucky.’ And the closer we got, we figured you’d decide what to call me when you were old enough.” 

“Eloise in my class has two dads, too. Her Papa picks her up some days.” 

“I think I’ve met him,” Bucky grabbed the tie and a matching pocket square with his free hand. He juggled Peter and the items and started to head up to the checkout stands. Hopefully they can find one without Jill. 

Peter’s voice was quiet, muffled by Bucky’s shirt, “Can I call you Papa?” 

Bucky stopped. Tears pricked his eyes as he dropped the things in his hand on the nearest display. His heart was in his throat, this kid never stopped surprising him. He pulled Peter around to look at him, “Only if you really want to, Peter. There is nothing wrong with calling me Bucky. I’m still going to be your dad no matter what you call me.” 

Peter nodded in that overdramatic way that kids do, “I really want to. I can’t wait to tell Daddy.” Peter pivoted himself forward for a hug that knocked the rest of the breath out of Bucky’s lungs. 

“Me too, buddy, me too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this fic, but don't know what to comment, I love emojis! Drop a ❤ to tell me you'd like to kudos again 😘
> 
> Come hang out on Discord, you can find me hanging out in [Put On The suit (SteveTony 18+)](https://discord.gg/z5WSqbS) or [STB Enthusiasts (Stuckony 18+)](https://discord.gg/ktXHUb4). And several more! 
> 
> I'm also on Tumblr at [Corsets-and-cardigans](https://corsets-and-cardigans.tumblr.com/)


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